Awkward Family Photos
by Jysella
Summary: Pokeshipping week 2015 day 4-Family


A/N: and prompt number...4, is this 4? It's definitely 4. Remember, the goal is non broken relationships between non broken characters. so...success, I think?

 **Awkward Family Photos**

It's funny, really, how short the trek between Cerulean and Pallet has become. It used to take Misty a day or even two but now? Now, it's a short bike ride, and one Misty is happy to take. Traveling as she has, once a month, for near half a decade, Misty has found all of the shortcuts you miss on the first pass. She knows where to stop for a meal and when to walk her bike so as not to wake Mr. Mime as he weeds the garden. It's strange that it's come to this. Or would be if Misty were to let it bother her.

Delia had always worried about Misty. Of all of Ash's friends, it had been her and Brock that Delia had been closest too. They were the first, after all, that he'd traveled with. There were almost as many pictures on her walls of the three of them as there were of Ash alone. Delia had watched them grow up alongside her son. Or, she had watched Misty grow up any way. Brock had already been so mature when he'd joined Ash. He was older to begin with and had a family of his own that he cared for. But Misty? She was ten, same as her son, when she'd begun.

When Misty left Ash, at fourteen, it was to return to a gym that she and she alone had to run whilst her sisters enjoyed a cruise around the world. Even when they returned, Misty's sisters only seemed to spare a thought for the younger girl when there was a way to remind her of what she was not. She was not beautiful like them. Not tall. Not worth anyone's attentions. She'd only get cast offs. Delia had heard it all, some from Ash but most from Misty herself.

The first weekend Misty was alone, Delia had invited her to the house. But Misty was busy, she was always busy. The gym needed cleaning, or Daisy was in town or some training was necessary. But Delia persisted and Misty wore down. The first time Misty visited had been awkward. It had taken her the better part of a day to arrive and when she did, she was tired and cranky. But Delia was waiting with dinner and smiles and slowly it grew easier. Misty became like the daughter Delia never had. A girl to shop for and garden with and try (and fail) to teach to cook. Delia did Misty's makeup and Misty trained her Mr. Mime.

Slowly but surely Pallet began to recognize Misty as one of their own. Neighbors would all to Delia when she wasn't around, asking how Misty way or what she was up to. Delia is all too happy to share, speaking of her with as much pride as she does her own son. When Misty misses a weekend due to being sick, she is sent care packages by half of the town's grandmothers and Tracy himself is shooed from Oak labs to check on her.

When Ash called home, it was more often than not a weekend when Misty was in Pallet. He'd thought it was weird, at first, the friendship his best friend was developing with his mother but by and by his calls began timing with her visits. It was coincidence, Misty had said, nothing important really. Just Ash's impeccable timing. Besides, Misty was sure, there was no way he could time her visits. It wasn't as though she came the same weekend every month. But Delia knew differently. Her son wasn't stupid, though many seemed to think he was. And Misty's visits were definitely patterned—one month she came the first weekend the next the second then last, fourth then third. Within a year Ash'd had the pattern mapped and soon he was calling only when Misty was there.

The two spend hours on the phones just chatting. It's pricey, Ash is usually regions away, but Delia thinks that it's worth the cost to hear Misty laugh. She doesn't laugh enough with everything that falls squarely on her shoulders. But when she does, she sounds like the teenager she is and not the adult she has to be to most of Kanto. It is only later Delia finds that Ash is able to recount Misty's days sometimes better than his own. In fact, he talks about the girl so much that occasionally whoever he is traveling with will shove him away from the screen if only to see his "girlfriend who lives in Kanto"—though that itself usually starts a fight along the all too familiar lines of denial that Ash and Misty always spout.

Ash is nineteen (and five years traveling without Misty by his side) when he finds out about his mother's "other" child. He's home between regions and dozing on the couch, lazily contemplating getting up when the door rings and his mother rushes forward to answer. It's someone from next door, a friend of his mother's dropping off some borrowed supply or another.

"Delia," the neighbor says in a voice shaking with age, "Thank you so much for the casserole dish, dinner was lovely."

"Oh it was no trouble Laura. How is your son doing?" Delia replies and Ash begins to fade. The conversation is one he has heard repeated since he was a child before he'd had Pikachu.

"He's wonderful, just finished at Pokémon Tech and about to challenge the league. How are your children?" and Ash's eye quirks open. Children? Since when has his mother had children?

"Oh, Ash is here actually. He's taking a break before beginning out again." Pride fills her voice and Ash's attention begins to waver. That woman, Laura? Must simply have forgotten he was an only child. It's a notion that quickly dies with her next question.

"And your girl?"

"Misty is doing brilliantly. The elite four are looking at her to apprentice." His mother replies, tone heavy with the same pride. Ash's gut twists. Misty, her daughter? It's an idea Ash doesn't like, and one he is fairly certain is not true. "In fact, she should be here shortly."

"Oh how wonderful, a full house Well, I'll leave you to get back to the dinner your cooking then." And the door shuts. Ash sits up, an uncomfortable knot settling in his stomach. His sister? He hardly notices his mother enter the room and certainly doesn't hear her call his name. She shakes him and finally his eyes met hers.

"Ash darling, is everything alright?" Delia asks.

"Why did that woman call Misty your child?" he asks and Delia laughs.

"Oh sweetie, Misty's around so much that most of the town calls her that."

"Do they think she's actually your kid?"

"Of course not Ash." She pats his head as she always had when he'd said something particularly silly. Ash frowns, and Delia realizes that Ash is truly worried. "Why do you ask?" She's puzzled, it's not like him to be concerned over something so silly.

"Well," he says and smiles mischievously. Briefly Delia is worried. It's a smile she hasn't seen since Ash was a child, one well matched to denying coloring on the wall or stealing the last cookie. She braces herself for his response. "If she was truly my sister it'd be really awkward to be dating her and we kind of have a good thing going." Delia's mouth works itself open and shut a few times before she draws Ash in a hug, squealing excitedly as she does. It's a hug that's recreated when Misty walks through the door moments later, leaving the teens staring at one another over her head.

"Did she find out?" Misty mouths.

Ash nods.

"Did you tell her?"

Ash nods again. The hug has been going on for several moments and shows no sign of stopping, Misty sighs. "You owe me ten bucks then."

"Double or nothing on Brock?" Ash responds, and Misty nods, lips curling in a truly devilish smile.

"You're on Ketchum."


End file.
